Wednesday, July 20, 2016

SPEEDWAY SPIN CONTINUES

Well, James Culic's words  have been spun so much that even he is getting suspicious. In his latest article about the much-delayed (will it ever happen?) Canadian Motor NOT NASCAR Speedway, he has added remarks by Regional Councillor Sandy Annunziata regarding his earlier article Failed Land Purchase Adds More Delays to Speedway Project. In that article, Culic recounted the years of delays and the various statements by developers and politicians. He reported that Mayor Redekop, in a radio interview, said that the CMS is now scheduled to open in 2019.

In his most recent article, Culic writes: Politicians from From Erie say they have spoken with the developers of the proposed Canadian Motor Speedway (CMS) project and have been reassured that progress continues.  In Monday night's (July 18) Fort Erie Council Meeting, Mayor Redekop cut off Annunziata as he read his prepared statement about the delays and the earlier article:

According to Annunziata, the original article “doesn’t provide the context CMS is currently engaged in with respect to property acquisitions.” The public relations team behind the speedway project were given multiple opportunities to respond to questions ahead of the publication of the original article, but they chose not to respond, saying it was a private matter.

So, Redekop stopped Annunziata in his mansplaining tracks and asked that he continue (with his butt hurt rant)  after the meeting. Which he did, as he continued his remarks later. Again, Annunziata spoke on behalf of the developers - or seemed to:

“I respect the public’s skepticism, I think it’s warranted after so many years, but I would also ask for a little more patience as we overcome a few more obstacles,” said Annunziata in his written comments.

So, there you have it.  The long and winding road to a NOT NASCAR racing track in Fort Erie is paved with evasions, vagueness and droppings from the horse track.

Another day in Fort Erie. 

Meanwhile, an article in the Toronto Star joins a long line of articles praising the rebirth of Buffalo, New York as a major tourist location. Used to be the other way around, but Buffalo has come back from near death. It can be done. Years of stagnation are giving way to a vibrant old/new city. A visit to the waterfront is a real eye-opener.

10 comments:

  1. Annunziata knows where the bread gets buttered around these parts by supporting big developers (even Pissaro's stupid development support comment comes to mind------$$$$$)......

    1) Bay Beach 2) Thundering Waters 3) Not4Nascar......

    Am I the only one who wonders if this political opportunist is ever going to support the moral side of a public land give away or is it always about the developer's big money

    .....rhetorical question no doubt

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  2. Mayor Redekop, in a radio interview, said that the CMS is now scheduled to open in 2019. Boy that's convenient, if I'm not mistaken the next election year is fall of 2018 and if he's not running again some other sucker will have to come up with some lame excuse as to why it still doesn't exist.

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    1. Culic has the inside track. In that business print whatever vague scraps they throw to you, make it sorta make sense, then tell the "dudes" whats sorta makes sense sorta kinda sometimes. Cant blame a guy for trying and so on. Real deep reporting. Depending on that guy as a reporter would be like depending on the old dude that eats out of the dumpster behind the high school. Happy to get a few scraps. Maybe ready to write a puff piece about just about anything that makes his bosses cheeks just a little more pink.

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  3. Fort Erie compared to the rest of the Niagara Region:

    -Has the highest population proportion WITHOUT a high school diploma. -Ranks LAST in terms of the proportion of its population with a college diploma or certificate.
    -Has LOWEST literacy skill levels among their 16-24 year olds.
    -Has LOWEST literacy skill levels among their 25-54 age group.
    -Has **highest** literacy skill levels among their 65 plus age group.

    "I'm glad we were able to rezone the Coal Docks property from a nine story Condominium **to open space**, which shows the critical importance of this site and our commitment to the historic downtown core. It lays the foundation for a vibrant, **public space** that will serve as a destination focal point and act as an important catalyst for downtown revitalization."
    - Sandy Annunziata [right-wing Mama's boy]

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  4. Thanks, Eric.

    Yet Sandy voted for and supported the rape of the last piece of public beachfront property in Crystal Beach. "Green space" my ass. Follow the green (money that is) and you will see where most local politicians are found.

    The stats you report are very troubling and they will get worse as those who have a good education and literacy skills leave town for better job opportunities and those over 65 die off. And don't get me started about the young women who chose single motherhood as a career choice in this day of effective, easily available birth control. Another generation with low literacy skills.

    Meanwhile our Economic Development and Tourism Corporation is doing What? with the millions of taxpayer money that has come its way?

    1.) suing a blogger to the tune of $20,000.+
    2.) encouraging a lawsuit against four councillors
    3.) playing a lot of golf
    4.) hanging out at the horse race track
    5.) talking about all the developments that were talked about ten years ago and not happening yet.
    6.) watching company after company leave and looking around for photo ops.
    7.) Not even getting invited when a local successful business expands.

    Great job; great happening town; NOT

    BTW, I hear that Ridgeway's Ward 4 Councillor has been added to Pokémon Go. A Marina is very hard to capture.

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  5. There seems to be a long history of pie in the sky ideas that come up with great fanfare then fizzle out. Remember the "signature bridge" across the river, the planning, walking tours of the proposed construction starting points, a twin span concept, a great idea to speed up crossings and a bridge that would be seen as a signature structure that would be recognised by people around the world. Then talk of a tunnel under the river similar to what was built to connect Canada to Michigan. So far? Nothing. What as that about? A way to get the townfolk used to the bull that was yet to come? Well, if so, it seemed to have worked. Look where that attitude got us. First Nascar track. Oh no, wait not Nascar. Then we wait for some rich ghosts on the other side of the world to pay for the project. Then blame the Provincial government for not sending millions into this black hole. All the tax sucking suits play along probly more out of stupidity than ignorance. Not so different from a town that plays up a horse track as its one local landmark. That facility now owned by the mob from across the river. Pie in the sky ideas? If those ideas were worth anything we would all be a lot better off.

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  6. Buffalo also has a Mayor who is 100% for serving the people first, his handling of the sit-in at Niagara Square, letting the protestors do their protests, warning them that winter was coming and they for safety sake should relocate, did not send in the police,his cool calm manner, was very professional and why the people of Buffalo love the guy. Meanwhile, we in Fort Erie had the ravings of a lunatic and the behavior of a kindergarten child from Douglas Martin.

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    Replies
    1. would have to agree with you Porgey....and take it further.......the leadership in this town has been very sadly lacking for decades with only a few exceptions(hmmm the Four for instance and we all know what happened there).

      Most of our so called leaders over the years have been in it only for themselves($$$$) and the greater good was never considered with these people. Now they are back and the old Fort Stupid norms rule again(kicking volunteers off committees) etc etc and some wonder why this town is doing so poorly.

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    2. It's almost as if the leaders of the town want it to fail. So many stupid, self-defeating examples of this are evident. The potential gold mine of Bay Beach that has been ignored and thwarted by town staff goes against any common sense. It's as though the town wants to discourage tourism to the area.

      Can anyone explain why the Friendship Festival is still going on when it has been in a fatal decline for years? All that bingo money wasted? Meanwhile, in Crystal Beach, Waterfront Park has become a mess because of people using the small beach there, not paying a cent for parking and using the facilities while chaos reigns at Bay Beach where the washrooms are locked up at 5:00 p.m and there is little parking enforcement.

      I sometimes think that Crystal Beach is being punished for its residents standing up to the town against giving away public beachfront lands to a high rise developer.

      Hats off to those who are working so hard to keep Crystal Beach beautiful and welcoming. Remember that there is a John Denver Tribute performance, sponsored by the Friends of Crystal Beach, at Waterfront Park at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 31. Bring your own lawn-chair and enjoy! Refreshments also available.

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  7. Will there be a ribbon cutting for the Central Ave bridge? The one that is so far over a half a million dollars overbudget? A photo op maybe. Why not burn a bushel of money at the same time to really set the tone.Little Wayne could wear a suit, Sandbag can wear a grin, and the rest of us look on shaking our heads.

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